The present invention relates to a conveyor roller cleaning device in which an elastic member is adapted to be pressed into contact with a conveyor roller for cleaning the same.
Generally, an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine or the like, incorporates a conveyor roller cleaning device for cleaning a conveyor roller disposed in a paper conveyor unit for conveying a transfer sheet. In such a conveyor roller cleaning device, an elastic member is pressed into contact with the conveyor roller at the peripheral surface thereof, thus removing paper powder sticking to the conveyor roller.
This elastic member is attached to the tip end of an attaching member which is rotatable around its own base. When set to a setting position, the attaching member causes the elastic member to be pressed into contact with the conveyor roller. The attaching member set to the setting position, is maintained thereat by a reaction force corresponding to the pressing-contact force of the elastic member toward the conveyor roller.
In the conveyor roller cleaning device, at the time of clearing a jam or other maintenance processing the attaching member is rotated from the setting position and retracted to a retreat position where the attaching member does not get in the way of the maintenance processing.
However, there are instances where the attaching member is not securely set to the setting position after the maintenance processing has been executed with the attaching member moved to the retreat position. More specifically, although it is required that a predetermined pushing force to the attaching member in order to resist a reaction force be applied corresponding to the pressing-contact force for pressingly contacting the elastic member to the conveyor roller, the service engineer often fails to do so.
If the attaching member is not securely set to the setting position after completion of the maintenance processing, it is not assured that a sufficient pressing-contact force of the elastic member to the conveyor roller is provided. This results in poor cleaning. Such poor cleaning may take place not only after the maintenance processing has been executed, but also when the attaching member is not securely set.